The city would be composed of a collection of tethered, floating modules that span a diameter of 2 miles.

Harvest City would be a place for Haitians to live and start their lives again, but it would also be a place for agriculture and jobs to thrive. Two thirds of the city would be dedicated to farming and one third to light industry. The city would be composed of a collection of tethered, floating modules that span a diameter of 2 miles. Divided into four zones interconnected by a linear canal system, neighborhoods would be made up of four story housing complexes. The outer perimeter of the city would be composed of crop circles with secondary feeder canals, while the city center with schools, offices, and public space would be located in the inner harbor area.

The floating islands of Harvest City will be secured to the sea bed by a cable and were designed to weather hurricanes and typhoons. A low profile, low draft dead weight capacity and perimeter wave attenuators are some factors that Schopfer incorporated into the city to ensure it would be safe from storms. A breakwater using the concrete rubble debris from the earthquake would also be constructed to add to the city’s stability.

In addition to being a new beginning for the people of Haiti, it is Schopfer’s hope that Harvest City will be established as a “charter city” to be used as an example of a new and advanced economic model specifically developed for struggling nations.

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9 Comments

ArnestoMarch 2, 2015 at 7:09 am

Have you ever heard of the word \”Tsunami\”?

Najma SadequeOctober 14, 2012 at 10:21 am

This high-tech solution is unnecessary and wasteful. It probably benefits the contractors and consultants rather than the people. May I suggest looking into what has been done in Bangladesh, Bolivia and Peru. In Bangladesh, it couldn’t have been more low-cost, the floats easily fabricated by the farmers with local materials needing no supervision afterwards. And people can adapt as they go along, to suit themselves. – Najma Sadeque

elementosMarch 28, 2012 at 7:52 am

A very nice idea for indeed the wrong place as you can´t simply put people on water resp. create utopia expecting people will like it then and get adapted to it. Thus, i agree with all commentsby now.

Moreover, when going through the description of the project I notice a grave lack of material knowledge in the concept. Such an ambitious project needs new high tech materials for construction and technologies of bonding and production processes where any kind of concrete for sure will not participate. Unrivalled and at the same time affordable solutions that are already available in the market and might not be agreed by lobbyists who try to take advantage also from disasters in a way.

hardyton91September 20, 2011 at 12:32 pm

how mush does harvest city coast?

Frantz AugustinJanuary 7, 2011 at 1:08 pm

I wonder why all this apparent interest to the land of Haiti. Is there somethig that all these thinkers know that the Haitian people are not informed about. Haiti must still be a pearl. Assuming that all these reconstruction dreams materialized how will the Haitian people actually benefit. Will all these goodies be out of their reach?

I agree with all of those comments. Addressing the current issues and creating a socially sustainable society is the most pressing issue. A development like the one proposed above is just not economically viable.

It would make a good submission to the Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction though… Submit your creative ideas today! http://on.fb.me/holcim-awards

Architect for the carib...January 1, 2011 at 4:51 pm

This notion of utopia needs to end. A city on water for 30,000 when there are millions on land that have been displaced and still live in squalor after the earth quake. this is very impractical

HeadpackDecember 30, 2010 at 1:34 pm

Seamushdub, I could not agree more. Agriculture could get a better boost by putting a tax on cheap imported rice from foreign countries and use that money to support rice-farmers who once were able to feed Haitian population. Before they were forced out of business due to cheap imported rice, that is.
Furthermore, where would the investment for that floating project come from? Real-estate developers seeking opportunities to make money? I find that unlikely, as goes for international financial aid.

seamusdubhDecember 30, 2010 at 1:06 pm

All nice and dandy.
But.
Regardless of all the nice fancy tech involved to prevent issues, having lived in hurricane areas this is just asking for punishment.
But I digress there is really no need for this. What happened in Haiti was mainly due to the lack of or poor government standards. Mainly in building code and safety. Then there’s the issue of the use of the local agriculture. There is PLENTY of viable land for PROPER agricultural use.
And in all due honesty while all this advancement in technology and suggestions for a future of Haiti since the destruction do nothing to solve the political and societal problems that caused it to be a catastrophe to begin with.